2011-10-29 13:51![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
melluransa
melluransaThis music video is stunning, with amazing images and imagery that create a commentary about several themes. It's amazing! Not to mention those out-of-this-world vocals.
So the mv opens and the scene is set. All the girls are restrained and imprisioned. There's a dictator who wears a shiny mask. He and his riot squad are marching against the girls of B.E.G and their followers, who are standing in front of all the rebellious graffiti and posters they've erected in the middle of a field for some reason. MARCH! Maybe they're in a prison complex, cuz there are big walls everywhere. This is "actually happening," as opposed to the "alternate universe/imaginary happenings" that begin with the scene of Gain in the throne room.
Ok, imagination time. Gain is on a throne, wearing a jacket that's too big for her. She's handcuffed, bruised and sweaty, as if she was in a fight. Throughout the video, she's constantly wearing jackets obviously meant for her. So, I think she escaped out of her jail cell and broke into the throne room. Not without a fight, though. She killed the dictator and sat on his throne, and wore his jacket. Quite an accomplishment for being cuffed, but Gain is all-around amazing, so.... Anyway, Gain took the shiny mask.
Narsha is in a zoo, like a pretty caged, leopard-print creature in an exotic menagerie. JeA is tied to driftwood, which is floating in some dank place. Where is Miryo? Later, trust me.
Back to real life, what's actually happening "right now." The girls dance and sing in rebellion to the forces. The forces are nervous against the onslaught of rebellious sexiness and stellar vocals and choreography. Btw, I LOVE Narsha's meow.
As for Miryo? She's forced to make a statement to the media. It's probably a message related to the government and dictator, as she's in front of some official looking buildings. This was probably a "real life" event and not imaginary. But then she said things against the government and kicked mike stands and they threw her in prison again.
Back to the imaginary/alternate universe. Back at the prison complex, things have dramatically changed. Now it's night. The riot squad has changed directions, and is now facing the dictator. They're out of step and line, showing the loss of order and organization. Miryo throws the shiny mask (which Gain gave her, from earlier) into the riot squad, which sets everything off. The squad charges against the tv screen with the dictator on it. But the wall with the tv screen shoots out water or something for crowd control.
Still imagininary, the rest of the video shows the girls fighting their chains and the riot squad members getting sprayed and being freed. The mask is on the grass, representing the change in power. Gain knocks over the throne, but isn't anyone gonna save JeA and Narsha soon? She's gonna contract hypothermia.
Back to the ugly reality, though. It's daytime again, back at the prison complex setting like at the beginning of the video. There was no rebellion, no assassination, no change in loyalties, no nighttime rebellion. They're in prison, and the dictator is still in control. He orders the riot squad to attach the girls, and the video ends. This suggests that oppressed people dream of rebellion, but it is hard to achieve. It's an unhappy ending as the girls stand proudly before their rebellious wall thing and are probably bludgeoned to death.
SO. I think this video says a lot about several things. One is that this is not your typical korean pop video, which usually have no messages and serve to look pretty and stuff. This video has a message and is grisly and tortured in places. In addition, the song is different from typical kpop songs, being a little more show-tuney.
Another thing it comments on is the divide between North and South Korea. I'm not gonna pretend to be a specialist on the topic, but I assume that North and South Korea are the same people, but are forcibly separated. Back in the day, it was one country, right? Now families, bloodlines are separated, a culture is separated, and both sides are doing their own thing. That has to be on the minds of the people of Korea, so this video has to mean something to them, historically and culturally.
It also comments on media and freedom of speech in obvious ways. Celebrities and pop stars in Korea are trained for years on how to talk, how to carry oneself, what to say; so that in interviews and in public, the celebrities are honorable and ever proper, yet totally interesting. The pop stars are then elevated to the level of "idol," which is a common name for them. Idols. Something that's beyond normal people, like, reaching a sort of separate divinity. They're in cages, so to speak. In chains. I think of SM Entertainment Company and how its artists are leaving and breaking their contracts, saying they're working too much and not getting paid. They are worked to the point where their health begins to be jeopordized.
This video is irony because yes, it is a kpop video done by artists contracted with their label and who were trained, cultivated, and refined. Yet it pulls slightly at the chains by showing the girls rebel and have freedom of speech. Then, this video and song made money, the girls went on shows to perform this. In the end, it IS a sad ending like in the video, because as much as the girls sing of breaking free, they are contracted to their company. The dictator is still in charge. But they dream of fighting back, as shown in the vid.
I really really like this video a lot, and I haven't even seen a translation of the lyrics. Lemme find some, to see if they're in line with this multi-layered message I've gleaned from the video.
Here they are:
I can’t be tamed; I can never. Don’t touch touch, rush it, rush it My eyes arouse you even from far away, I'm guilty guilty
Your thirsty face starts sweating And my sharp fingernails press into your flesh
The bubbles in champagne Explode, it's good pain (No need to worry, love is just a game) Hit that high
*Pop~ (pop) Pop~ (hoo hoo) The music that will fill the space between us Pop~ (pop) Pop~ (hoo hoo) Out of breath, it's more than music Pop~ Pop~ This feeling that I want to share with you is more than emotion Better than the love motion
Don’t reach out on your will, just sit, sit, that’s right Wait for a chance and when you get it, kiss kiss, frenchy frenchy
Elevate your senses And give yourself to the feeling that is rising to a higher level
Just like two animals trapped in a jungle (No need to worry, love is just a game) Hit that high
* Repeat
In the dream that you have hidden your secrets I smear it up subconsciously Into that freer place Hey, live it up right away, huh?
Just follow me as I escort you (New World) Look at this if you don’t think you’ll experience something dark (Follow me) uh (say my name) a little louder You won’t forget me, sing to me baby (Follow me) that’s right (say my name) gracias Can you follow? You won’t be able to forget this after hearing it Other music will get boring (Raise arms!) Halt and fire!
Translation Credits: pop!gasa
Ok, so wow. They're talking about rising feelings, violence, dreaming, and pop in two senses; pop like popular music, and pop like a bubble bursting. The lyrics border on being disjointed, or at least this translation is. It probably means a lot more to the people of Korea, but I see the parallels.
So I just basically love the Brown Eyed Girls. All kpop did an article on this vid here, in which the symbolism is outright explained. I had fun figuring it out, though. ^_^ There's an iilluminati website that hyperanalyzes the vid, and that's taking it a little too deep and far for me. Whatevs.
So the mv opens and the scene is set. All the girls are restrained and imprisioned. There's a dictator who wears a shiny mask. He and his riot squad are marching against the girls of B.E.G and their followers, who are standing in front of all the rebellious graffiti and posters they've erected in the middle of a field for some reason. MARCH! Maybe they're in a prison complex, cuz there are big walls everywhere. This is "actually happening," as opposed to the "alternate universe/imaginary happenings" that begin with the scene of Gain in the throne room.
Ok, imagination time. Gain is on a throne, wearing a jacket that's too big for her. She's handcuffed, bruised and sweaty, as if she was in a fight. Throughout the video, she's constantly wearing jackets obviously meant for her. So, I think she escaped out of her jail cell and broke into the throne room. Not without a fight, though. She killed the dictator and sat on his throne, and wore his jacket. Quite an accomplishment for being cuffed, but Gain is all-around amazing, so.... Anyway, Gain took the shiny mask.
Narsha is in a zoo, like a pretty caged, leopard-print creature in an exotic menagerie. JeA is tied to driftwood, which is floating in some dank place. Where is Miryo? Later, trust me.
Back to real life, what's actually happening "right now." The girls dance and sing in rebellion to the forces. The forces are nervous against the onslaught of rebellious sexiness and stellar vocals and choreography. Btw, I LOVE Narsha's meow.
As for Miryo? She's forced to make a statement to the media. It's probably a message related to the government and dictator, as she's in front of some official looking buildings. This was probably a "real life" event and not imaginary. But then she said things against the government and kicked mike stands and they threw her in prison again.
Back to the imaginary/alternate universe. Back at the prison complex, things have dramatically changed. Now it's night. The riot squad has changed directions, and is now facing the dictator. They're out of step and line, showing the loss of order and organization. Miryo throws the shiny mask (which Gain gave her, from earlier) into the riot squad, which sets everything off. The squad charges against the tv screen with the dictator on it. But the wall with the tv screen shoots out water or something for crowd control.
Still imagininary, the rest of the video shows the girls fighting their chains and the riot squad members getting sprayed and being freed. The mask is on the grass, representing the change in power. Gain knocks over the throne, but isn't anyone gonna save JeA and Narsha soon? She's gonna contract hypothermia.
Back to the ugly reality, though. It's daytime again, back at the prison complex setting like at the beginning of the video. There was no rebellion, no assassination, no change in loyalties, no nighttime rebellion. They're in prison, and the dictator is still in control. He orders the riot squad to attach the girls, and the video ends. This suggests that oppressed people dream of rebellion, but it is hard to achieve. It's an unhappy ending as the girls stand proudly before their rebellious wall thing and are probably bludgeoned to death.
SO. I think this video says a lot about several things. One is that this is not your typical korean pop video, which usually have no messages and serve to look pretty and stuff. This video has a message and is grisly and tortured in places. In addition, the song is different from typical kpop songs, being a little more show-tuney.
Another thing it comments on is the divide between North and South Korea. I'm not gonna pretend to be a specialist on the topic, but I assume that North and South Korea are the same people, but are forcibly separated. Back in the day, it was one country, right? Now families, bloodlines are separated, a culture is separated, and both sides are doing their own thing. That has to be on the minds of the people of Korea, so this video has to mean something to them, historically and culturally.
It also comments on media and freedom of speech in obvious ways. Celebrities and pop stars in Korea are trained for years on how to talk, how to carry oneself, what to say; so that in interviews and in public, the celebrities are honorable and ever proper, yet totally interesting. The pop stars are then elevated to the level of "idol," which is a common name for them. Idols. Something that's beyond normal people, like, reaching a sort of separate divinity. They're in cages, so to speak. In chains. I think of SM Entertainment Company and how its artists are leaving and breaking their contracts, saying they're working too much and not getting paid. They are worked to the point where their health begins to be jeopordized.
This video is irony because yes, it is a kpop video done by artists contracted with their label and who were trained, cultivated, and refined. Yet it pulls slightly at the chains by showing the girls rebel and have freedom of speech. Then, this video and song made money, the girls went on shows to perform this. In the end, it IS a sad ending like in the video, because as much as the girls sing of breaking free, they are contracted to their company. The dictator is still in charge. But they dream of fighting back, as shown in the vid.
I really really like this video a lot, and I haven't even seen a translation of the lyrics. Lemme find some, to see if they're in line with this multi-layered message I've gleaned from the video.
Here they are:
I can’t be tamed; I can never. Don’t touch touch, rush it, rush it My eyes arouse you even from far away, I'm guilty guilty
Your thirsty face starts sweating And my sharp fingernails press into your flesh
The bubbles in champagne Explode, it's good pain (No need to worry, love is just a game) Hit that high
*Pop~ (pop) Pop~ (hoo hoo) The music that will fill the space between us Pop~ (pop) Pop~ (hoo hoo) Out of breath, it's more than music Pop~ Pop~ This feeling that I want to share with you is more than emotion Better than the love motion
Don’t reach out on your will, just sit, sit, that’s right Wait for a chance and when you get it, kiss kiss, frenchy frenchy
Elevate your senses And give yourself to the feeling that is rising to a higher level
Just like two animals trapped in a jungle (No need to worry, love is just a game) Hit that high
* Repeat
In the dream that you have hidden your secrets I smear it up subconsciously Into that freer place Hey, live it up right away, huh?
Just follow me as I escort you (New World) Look at this if you don’t think you’ll experience something dark (Follow me) uh (say my name) a little louder You won’t forget me, sing to me baby (Follow me) that’s right (say my name) gracias Can you follow? You won’t be able to forget this after hearing it Other music will get boring (Raise arms!) Halt and fire!
Translation Credits: pop!gasa
Ok, so wow. They're talking about rising feelings, violence, dreaming, and pop in two senses; pop like popular music, and pop like a bubble bursting. The lyrics border on being disjointed, or at least this translation is. It probably means a lot more to the people of Korea, but I see the parallels.
So I just basically love the Brown Eyed Girls. All kpop did an article on this vid here, in which the symbolism is outright explained. I had fun figuring it out, though. ^_^ There's an iilluminati website that hyperanalyzes the vid, and that's taking it a little too deep and far for me. Whatevs.
